San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1887-09-22
Pointers 10 Progress and Permanent
Prosperity.


orod TO show the exact character
of the present situation in this region
with respect to tho present and
future. Wo argued that, for reasons
there given, wo have probably reached
pretty much the foot of the ladder
from which, with the return OF better
seasons, and an established live stock
market, we may reasonably hope to
ascend. Some aids in this direction
will be the subject of the present ar
ticle.
In the first place it is obvious that
wo live in o country Of peculiar ma
tural conditions and limitations. In
point of fertility Of soil it can scarcely
be surpassed anywhere, and yet owing
to droughts that more than half the
time prevail it avails but little we
have all heard of "the glorious I'M
certainty of the law" but it ENDS It's
parallel in the glorious uncertainty
of seasons and crops in Western
Texas, He who comes here expect
ing to find it in this respect anything
like the Ohio and Mississippi valleys,
will soon find himself badly "sold.
The truth is it is by nature moro al
lied to the style of Mexico, New Mex
leo and California than to the Missis-
sippi valley or the Atlantic States
There, when farmer sows he feels a
moral certainty that he will reap IN
due season, and such is the variety
of products there successfully grown
that even if he should fail on one or
two, the remainder will be apt to
prove reasonably remunerative,
What follows? Why, obviously,
TINT in order to successful farming
here, pretty much an entirely differ
ent system must be adopted. How
ever, we should say, first, that the
best systems of the old states should
be adopted as far as applicable, such
as these-early and deep plowing
and thorough cultivation. 1t may be
truthfully said that with no more
care than is taken here, the farmers
there would be apt to meet with gen
eral failure. In the raising OF wheat,
for instance, if they took no more
care in preparing the ground, sowing
and in selecting the kinds OF seed
best adapted to their respective To-
calities, we should find them failing
rs here, and the cry as here gong
forth that it was mo wheat country,
ANYHOW" And so of corn and other
crops.
Admitting all this, still in some i'm
portant respects efforts will be re
CURED to rinse good crops here with
ANYTHING like regularity, such as are
unknown in the Mississippi valley
and Atlantic States. We refer es
pecially to our frequent and long
protracted droughts These have got
to be at least reasonably obViated and
counteracted before this country car
ever become noted as one of regular
and productive crops. The process
ses common to the climatic belt tC
which it naturally belongs--in othel
words irrigation I'M its various forms
must be applied. There is no use IL
trying to dodge this point. 1t is tru'
we have more rain than Mexico, New
Mexico or California, but it is so I'm
certain that irrigation is scarcely les
necessary here than there. 1t ma,
not be needed every season, but tn
uncertainty will make it indispenso
BILE to have the necessary appliance
ON hand oil the same.
The common modes of irrigation
are various and obvious. Among tn
foremost is the utilizing the waters
such unfailing streams as the Sa
Marcos river. We have frequentl
heard persons conversant with Cal
fornia remark that such stream
that State would soon be distribute
all over the country. Again, in mos
parts of this section of the State lastin
water can be found by digging well
say from thirty to one hundred feet
These might be multiplied indefinite
ly, and by the aid of windmills the
waters might be very widely distril
uted. These windmills we are toll
are among the most common feature
of the landscape in California. VIII
are they not more general here? Ca
anybody give good reason Tn
steady gulf breeze which prevail
here is most favorable to their U.S.
In the drior seasons especially thes
winds are much stronger, and Prov
denco seems to indicate what only
moderate degree Of human intellie
enco might reasonably be expected I